Book Synopsis
Book Tags
Donation Rankings
Comment
0 Comments
You May Also Like
墨書 Inktalez
He moved along the wall, inch by inch, leaving no corner unchecked. His serious demeanor convinced me that he would miss no detail.
Just as Wang Anyi began to show signs of impatience, Zhou Fan calmly said, "I found something."
He crouched down, his fingers gently touching a barely noticeable indentation on the wooden floor, roughly the size of a fingertip. A small sliver of wood was slightly raised at the crescent-shaped notch.
"What is this?" Wang Anyi asked, somewhat puzzled. He hurried over and leaned slightly to get a better look at the indentation.
"Have you accidentally dropped any oil paintings while moving them recently?" Zhou Fan countered, not answering Wang Anyi's question.
He stood up, hands in his pockets, eyes fixed intently on Wang Anyi, seemingly observing his reaction.
Wang Anyi thought for a moment, squinting slightly as he replied, "I don't think so."
"I remember you mentioned that the stolen painting is called 'Love Song 1990,' right?" Zhou Fan posed another question, tilting his head slightly with a hint of mischief in his gaze.
The name of the painting struck me deeply because it shared its title with an old song by Lo Ta-yu, and I was a devoted fan of his music.
Hearing that name made me hum a few lines softly, my thoughts drifting away.
"Yes."
"Why is it called that? What does it depict?" Zhou Fan asked with crossed arms, genuinely intrigued.
"The painting was created by the artist in 1990 and features a beautiful girl in love, hence the name 'Love Song.' Tragically, the artist died in an accident later on. Like Van Gogh, his works quickly appreciated in value. Now this painting can fetch three million yuan domestically," Wang Anyi recounted about the stolen artwork in a voice that sounded somewhat aged, as if discussing something trivial.
There was no flicker of emotion on his face; his tone was so flat it felt almost unbelievable.
I was astonished by the other person's seemingly excessive calmness.
"An incident?" Zhou Fan furrowed his brow slightly, a hint of confusion in his eyes.
"It should be described as a robbery and murder; the perpetrator has already been executed," came the reply.
"Mm." Zhou Fan asked again, "So how big is the painting?"
"It's 3.8 feet long and 2.3 feet wide."
"That makes sense." A slight smile of satisfaction appeared on Zhou Fan's lips.
"What do you mean?" Wang Anyi looked puzzled, his eyes filled with confusion as if he completely did not understand Zhou Fan's implication.
"We can now confirm that the criminal is a woman," Zhou Fan said confidently.
I glanced at the indentation on the floor that Zhou Fan had discovered and suddenly realized, "Are you saying this is a mark left by high heels?"
Zhou Fan nodded. "Yes. According to Mr. Wang, that oil painting must be quite heavy, so when the criminal was carrying it, she might have accidentally stepped awkwardly in her high heels and then fell. Look, there's a mark not far from here that could have been made when the painting hit the ground."
As he spoke, he pointed towards the faint mark in the distance, his eyes radiating confidence and determination.
Following Zhou Fan's gaze, I indeed saw a shallow impact mark not far away.
"But considering that the criminal was able to enter the exhibition room unnoticed, this seems like a premeditated crime. Why would she wear high heels that are unsuitable for moving things?"
I voiced my doubts, my brow furrowed and my eyes filled with confusion. "Moreover, there must be other paintings in this exhibition room that are more valuable than this one. Why did she specifically choose this painting?"
Zhou Fan shrugged and spread his hands, his relaxed demeanor suggesting that the answer was just around the corner.
The investigation into Xiyan Pavilion had reached a temporary conclusion. I had paid special attention to the door locks and surveillance cameras at Xiyan Pavilion; everything was intact.
After bidding farewell to Wang Anyi, the legendary art dealer, I couldn't shake the feeling that the old man's expression was somewhat unnatural.
His gaze darted around, avoiding direct eye contact with us, and his hands clenched involuntarily.
As we walked down the street, I shared my thoughts with Zhou Fan.
"Of course it seems unnatural," Zhou Fan replied, slightly raising his head to look into the distance, a glint of sharpness in his eyes. "Because he has concealed important clues from us."
"How could that be?" I exclaimed, my eyes widening in surprise. "Is he embezzling? What would he gain from that? Perhaps he insured the painting?"
However, I quickly dismissed my own words. If Wang Anyi had indeed insured the painting, he should have involved the Xicheng Police instead of Zhou Fan.
Zhou Fan smiled without answering, a smile that seemed to hide endless secrets.
"What exactly is he hiding?" I asked eagerly, my eyes filled with anticipation.
"Two paintings."
Zhou Fan appeared intrigued by a second-hand stall across the street. He walked over with a smile, continuing, "Or rather, two keys—one that unlocks the criminal's motive and another that reveals their method."
As he spoke, he picked up a small object from the stall and examined it closely, as if he had already glimpsed the truth behind the case.
Comment 0 Comment Count